Your Love Burns Deeper Then My Wounds
by ThunderStorm-8
Summary: YohAnna Hao is out to get them, what is he planning? will these two survive and will love triumph over evil? or will they spend all of eturniry in heaven together? rr plz!
1. The begging of the end

Ha ha ha!!!! I'm back! U thought u could get rid of me by not reviewing but you're little plan didn't work did it? Wait don't answer that  
  
"Yoh!" Anna screamed as she ran in front of him, shielding his already wounded body with her own. "N." She moaned as she clasped a hand over her bleeding shoulder. Using what was left of her strength she used her Prayer beads to send the spirit body to hell.  
  
She then found herself falling, she clashed to the ground unconscious. When she awoke she could fell only pain, the cold hard ground underneath her and the rain that beat down upon the two wounded figures that were left all alone in the dark.  
  
She turned her head to look at Yoh, his limp body right where it had been when she saved him. Painfully she crawled over to him, wading through a sea of her and his own blood mixed with the rainwater. "Yoh." She whispered as she collapsed just within reach of the boy she so dearly loved.  
  
"Yoh please come back to me." Yoh heard Anna's plea clearly. He opened his eyes and met hers, both pairs held pain.and love. Yoh's glance moved from her eyes to her shoulder. "Anna.you're.hurt." He pushed the words out of his mouth, even talking was painful.  
  
"Sh.Don't try to talk." She said as she tried to crawl closer to him. He forced a smile, it was warm.just what she needed in this cold heartless rain.  
  
"I'm sorry Yoh. It's all my fault that you're hurt. I should have gotten her sooner, but instead I." Her thoughts wandered back to what had kept her. "I'm so sorry.I'm no help to anyone." With that tears swelled in her eyes and threatened to fall.  
  
Yoh moved his hand towards her, cupping her face with his hand. "Sh. You're wrong." He gingerly wiped away the salty tears that trickled from her face with his thumb. With her good arm she took hold of his hand and held it tightly, yet gently.  
  
A smudge of blood was left on her check, but she didn't care. She came closer to him and snuggled her head into his neckline. "Yoh."  
  
'What did he do to deserve this?' She thought, as she did her best to call for help telepathically with Amedamaru.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ok now you're going to see just how they got into this mess. Yes this is one of those stories where it starts out with the almost end and then starts from the beginning. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	2. A brake and Lemonaid

It was a nice hot day in Tokyo Japan. Yoh Asakura was at this very moment getting read to do his last five laps of the day. "I need a break." He sighed.  
  
"Then take one." "Gah!! Anna! I'm sorry I shouldn't be--." "Shut up Yoh." Anna commanded him. He got ready for his deathbed, but it never came. Instead the exact opposite happened.  
  
"Here." Anna extended her hand, in it was a tall glass of what looked like.lemon-aid? He looked from the glass to the girl holding it. "Take it, you must be tired after all that work today in this hot weather."  
  
Timidly he took the glass it looked so inviting. The ice cubes in it were slowly melting away to nothing and icy water trickle down the cool sides of the glass. Anna just looked at him. "I made it myself so tell me if it's good or not. And don't lie."  
  
Yoh smiled his goofy at her and took a sip. It wasn't bad, but it had just a bit too much sugar. He leaned back and let the refreshing drink trickle down his parched throat. "Ah! Just what I needed. Thanks Anna, it's perfect."  
  
He smiled widely at her, and he could have sworn that she smiled too. When they finished their drinks Yoh got up and looked like he was getting ready to get back to his training. "Where are you going Yoh?" Anna asked.  
  
"To finish the rest of my training I still have five more laps around the park." Anna got up and walked towards the tree that stood tall in their courtyard. She sat down on the cool shaded grass that was protected from the harsh heat by it's thick branches that were now covered with greenery.  
  
"Yoh I told you to take a brake, now lay down." Anna commanded him. Not caring that he had a completely and utterly lost look on his face. 'Anna's.giving me a brake? First the lemon-aid and now this? Oh well, I guess I shouldn't complain.' He lay down on the ground under the tree in front of Anna.  
  
To his great surprise she pulled his head into her lap. "I'm going to help you train you're spiritual powers now." She said, as she placed her hands gently on his forehead. "Close you're eyes." He obeyed relaxing in her lap. 'Perhaps this won't be so bad after all.'  
  
Suddenly Yoh felt small shocks going threw his body, at first they were hot, then cold, and then warm. Whatever they were they were calming. "Do not fall asleep, and try to stay focused." Anna whispered in his ear. "What.are they?" Yoh asked half unconscious. "Soul waves, just think of it was another power of mine." She said softly as she sent another one threw him.  
  
"How.?" He mumbled, trying to keep his brain focused. "By ejecting small portions of my energy. This is going to help you when you are in tough battles and you must concentrate but act when you need to." Yoh nodded in understanding.  
  
About an hour later the sun was setting, enveloping the city that it was trying to hide behind in it's sea of colors. "Wow.that got ride of all my sore mussels as well and training my mind." Yoh yawned and stretched as he got off of Anna's lap and helped her up to go inside. She looked tired. "Are you alright Anna? You look tired all of a sudden, do you think you used too much energy." "Perhaps." She yawned, putting a hand up to cover her mouth. "I had a hunch that maybe this was a bad idea." Yoh said in a worried voice. He put a hand on her back. "I'll carry you up to you're room, then you should get some sleep." "I'm fine Yoh, but I won't disagree to sleep." She made her way into the house, forcing the tiredness aside and concentrated on being strong...for him.  
  
~*~*~*~The Next Day~*~*~*~  
  
Anna was awake when Yoh came down to make breakfast just like she always was. 'Maybe she only needed sleep.' Yoh thought hopefully. "'Morning Anna." He said cheerfully. "Good morning." She replied as usual. "So what kind of training do you have in store for me today Anna?" Yoh asked jokingly, his classic smile on his face. "The five laps around the park you didn't do yesterday and.fifty sit ups and push ups. Then more mind training." 'Wow.she let me off easy today.' He knelt beside her and put a hand to her forehead. "Are you feeling alright Anna? You're not sick are you?" She batted his hand away. "I'm fine Yoh, now fix yourself some breakfast and get to training." "Aren't you hungry?" "Now!" "I'm going! I'm going!" He said as he ran off in the direction of the kitchen. Anna smiled to herself.  
  
When Yoh got back from his training Anna was there by the tree again. He knew what that meant, he was great full that she was doing this for him.but.he couldn't help but worry about his Itako.  
  
She looked up when she saw him, and it was her turn to be concerned. "Are you alright Yoh?" Yoh knelled in front of her and took her small hands in his weather beaten and training hardened big ones. A slight gasp escaped Anna. "Anna don't do this if it hurts you in any way." He said, looking her in the eyes, his gaze was almost too intense for her.  
  
"I have to be strong and train you to be strong as well Yoh. Do not forget that." She said in a cold voice, but slightly softer then she intended it. Yoh looked down, defeated, but not out.  
  
He let her train him using her energy once more, but when it came time for them to go back inside Yoh looked at Anna, who looked even more tired now then she did the first time. He sat up, right in front of her, their faces were very close. He took his hands and cupped her face in them, making her looked directly into his eyes once more. "Anna.Don't do this.it hurts you." He whispered as he leaned his forehead against hers. "Yoh." Anna whispered in return. His hands slid from her face to her waist, from there he enveloped her in a sweet and tender embrace. "Oh Anna, don't always have to be strong for me.How will I ever protect you if you do?" He asked with a smile on his face. 'Yoh.' Anna relaxed in his arms and soon found herself asleep.  
  
"Sweet dreams.my Anna." Yoh said quietly, more to himself actually, as he left her room where he had previously put her in her bed. 


	3. Waiting for you

Kyoyama Asakura Amidamaru Anna slept later then usual the next day, she was re-gaining the strength that she had lost the previous day, and the day before that.  
  
Morty came by to see how his friends was doing, so Yoh, Amidamaru and him all went to the park. (a.n./ I have no clue where Amidamaru has been up until now sowy) Even thought Yoh was rather reluctant to leaving Anna alone in her state, but Morty and Amidamaru finally convinced him.  
  
Morty made Yoh tell him what had happened to Anna, he just left out all the personal mushy parts and a few other details.  
  
"Wow.so you've had two days with really easy training and an hour break and you said that it made you fell better afterwards? Cool!" "Not cool Morty, Anna gave up some of her energy to train me like that. I mean while having a break was nice and all I still worry about her. What if she gets sick or something? What if she didn't tell me everything about this mind training? What if she can't re-gain her strength to it's normal level? What if--" "Master Yoh I think we get the point." Amidamaru interrupted. "Oh.Heh sorry you guys." Yoh said, a slight pink tone came to his checks.  
  
"It's ok Yoh. We all know you care for Anna." Morty told his friend, this only made his blush deepen. "It is quite obvious Master Yoh. And just so that you understand it's perfectly alright, remember a Shamans true strength comes from what he's fighting for." Yoh nodded, hearing the words that he had said so many times before was indeed comforting in this situation.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
After at least another hour of hanging out with each other Yoh, Morty and Amidamaru all went separate ways. Morty to his extra computer class at their school, Amidamaru to some abandoned building downtown for a party he and some other of his ghost friends were having, and Yoh back to his house.  
  
When he walked threw the door he saw Anna sitting on the couch reading a book, he wasn't sure if she had been waiting for him or not. He wasn't even sure if she noticed that he had come home or not. Just to be on the safe side, because she might be grumpier then usual he when upstairs to his room to put away a few things that Morty had given him (a new ghost story book and a CD he had burned.)  
  
'He didn't even say hello to me.' Anna thought solemnly. But she shock the thought off, last night was wrong. She should not have given into him like that, she had to be his strength, the thing that he found the will to fight his battles in. She was his trainer, nothing more. But no matter how many time she told herself this her heart kept objecting. It was a struggle between what she had to do and what she wanted to do. She had to train him to be a powerful Shaman, she had to be cruel and harsh so that he would learn. But oh how she wanted, just for one day to be in his arms like she was last night, to break down and show him the real Anna that hides behind the wall that he sees everyday. But that could never happen.  
  
She was suddenly pulled from her thoughts when Yoh called from the kitchen. "What would you like for dinner Anna?" She thought a moment, something hard? Or.something easy? "I think there's some left-overs in the fridged, we could have that if you like." 'Damn it! Why did you say that? *sigh* I'm so weak.' "It's fine by me Anna. Let me know when you get hungry alright?"  
  
'Wow.I don't have to cook.' Yoh thought, not knowing whether to be happy or worried. But he shook it off for now, he was going to save it for later that evening. He had a lot of things to talk to her about, and that just added to the ongoing list.  
  
During dinner neither said much to the other, and after she was finished eating Anna left the room leaving Yoh to the dishes.  
  
Before Yoh went to bed he stopped by Anna's room, standing just outside the door. Debating with himself over what to do. 'Should I go in, or shouldn't it? I should definitely knock if I do. What if she gets mad at me? What is she's asleep?' Yoh sighed, how could something as simple as talking to the girl he had been living with for the past who knows how long be so hard? Finally after mustering up all of his courage he knocked gently on her door. He heard the words "Come in." Threw the door and that was what he did.  
  
Anna didn't look up when he entered, she tried not to thing much or let what was going on inside her head show in her facial expressions. 'Why is he here? I wonder what he wants. Oh please let him not be here to talk about what happened yesterday.'  
  
Yoh took a set next to her on her bed, and starred at her for a few minuets, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't land him in the hospital with a concussion. At last he said, "Anna? Um.can I ask you something?" 'God that was lame.' He thought, mentally slapping himself. "Yes?" She answered him.  
  
Yoh hesitated before asking.he was somewhat afraid of the answer. "Do you.do you love me?" Anna didn't know what to think.her brain actually stopped working for once and she had nothing to say.  
  
She tried to ovoid his eyes, turning her head towards the floor. Trying hard to keep the tears from escaping her own eyes. "I-I.can't answer that.not now." She looked back at him hopefully, tears pooling just outside her eyes. Yoh nodded his head. "I understand." He smiled at her and she shot him her own feeble smile. He gave her a quick hug before he left her room to go back to his own. He thought he understood what Anna ment when she said 'not now' she was worried about the battles that he had to fight. She was worried for him. When she was ready she would tell him, and he would be patience and wait for her. 


	4. The curse of illusions and tests of love

Sorry that took so long ^_^ well here it is anyway!  
  
It had been a few days sence Yoh has asked Anna if she loved him. Anna had fully recovered from her experaments with Yoh's spiritual training, and everything was normal for those past days. Anna went back to being her usual bossy, cold hearted self around everyone else and Yoh. But she was just a tad bit lighter on Yoh.  
  
Our hero was currently walking back from the market, Anna has sent him to get the groceries. The sun was setting and he had stopped to look at it briefly. The beauty of the work of art that Mother Nature had painted with such easy possessed him. The colors flowed together in a rithem with out pattern or cause, they were just there. Red, Orange, Pink, Purple, all these colors so different, yet they mixed so well. 'Just like me and Anna.' He thought to himself. A smile on his face as his thoughts shifted from the scene in front of him to the girl who clamed his heart for what seemed like the millionth time that week.  
  
But he was snapped out of this thoughts, he turning his head to listen more carefully to the sound that had woken him from his dreams.  
  
"Yoh.Yoh." He heard a mystical voice call him, but it sounded so sad. 'Who is that? It sounds like Anna.' "Anna?" He asked as he stepped into dark alley. "Anna where are you?" Then he saw her, she was at the end of the alley, looking at him. It was her alright, but something was different. 'What're you doing out here all by yourself Anna?' He thought to himself.  
  
She looked so sad, she had tears in her eyes. And.blood.there was blood on her side! Before Yoh could call out to her she said in a voice that had no emotion. "Yoh.you weren't there." With that she started to walk away and was lost into the dark night.  
  
"Anna!" Yoh ran in her direction, calling out her name until he got to the end of the alley. "Save me Yoh." He heard her voice from the left, so left he went.  
  
~*~*~*~*~Anna~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Where could Yoh b-." Anna stopped dead in the middle of her sentence. 'What is that? That cold chill?' She focused her senses and tried to pin- point it's location. Her eyes opened wide with horror at what she saw. "No! If what I saw it true.Oh please don't let it be true!" She said to herself as she ran out the door.  
  
'Yoh isn't strong enough to handle something like that. I have to help him!' She ran desperately in the things direction.  
  
Her worst fear had been realized when she saw what had been keeping Yoh. It was a shape-shifting spirit, and a woman to be exact. They were known for capturing the souls of young men and keeping them locked away, later to feed on or do whatever they pleased with.  
  
Suddenly Anna stopped her pursuit after the shifter. Because in front of her stood Yoh.it was the same Yoh.but then.it wasn't. There was something different about him. He walked towards her, and she felt like she was in a trance. She fought to keep her mind straight, but the sight of his warm smile made her brain turn to mush.  
  
He reached out and took her in a tight hug. "Anna.where were you? I was worried." He said, his voice just the same as it had always been. Anna went limp in his arms as she felt his breath on her neck. But what she didn't see what that this was not Yoh. No it was another Shape-Shifter. Two of them had been hired on by Hao.  
  
It manipulated her mind, making her thoughts scramble and her powers became useless. If she had only looked into his eyes.then she would have seen.  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
Finally he saw her again, she was standing under a Sakura tree in the park that he knew all to well. "What's wrong Anna? How did you get those wounds?" He asked walking towards her, eyes wide with worry and concern. "It was horrible.Hao attacked the house.and.and you weren't there." Yoh saw that she was crying, and another wave of guilt flooded him. "Anna I'm sorry.So sorry." He came closer to her and held her tightly. "Yoh." The thing said, as it rapped it's cold hands around his back. She nudged into him, returning his embrace. Suddenly Yoh felt like he was in some kind of a trance. All the rest of the world was fuzzy to him, all his eyes would look at was Anna, the only thing that mattered was Anna. 'She was hurt because of me.I wasn't there to protect her, this is my fault.' "Anna.I will always protect you. You'll never be alone again, I swear it." He whispered.  
  
The thing smiled evilly to itself, she was silently weaving her spells into his brain, his heart and his soul. "Yoh, will you come with me? Come with me were we don't have to be afraid of anything. Not other Shamans, not death. We can be together forever, isn't that what you want Yoh?" "Yes." He whispered back. "Then kiss me, kiss me and with it rid us of all the troubles of the mortal world." He was about to kiss her, but then something triggered in his mind making him think twice. 'Wait.what's that thing I'm feeling? It's not natural.' He looking into her soul to try and find the answer, but he never found the soul it's self  
  
'This isn't Anna!' He thought as he broke the spell and tried to get out of her grasp. But she wouldn't let him. "Where are you going Yoh? Don't you love me?" "No I love Anna! And you're not her. I don't know how nevi I am to mistake her for you." The thing hissed at him and it changed shape. Now no longer looking like Anna but more a dark cloud with bright glowing, green eyes. "Fool!" It said, as it tore at his back with it's long talons. "Ah!!" Yoh screamed in agony as he tried to get away from the thing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~* "Anna." The thing said. "Come with me.come with me where you will no longer feel pain or grief." Before Anna could reply she was awakened when she heard an agonized scream. "AH!" "Yoh!" Her head shot up, she looked around her and she saw now. "It was all an illusion!" She cried with anger as she shoved the Shifter away. It too returned to its original form. "Now I shall send you to hell!" She screamed as she encircled it with her prayer beads.  
  
It was gone, now there was nothing stopping her from getting to Yoh. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her. And when she got to the spot were she had been so desperately trying to get to her eyes opened wide with horror. Yoh was doing his best to dodge all of it's attacks, but couldn't seem to attack it back. "Yoh!" Anna called out to him, she could see the blood that trickled lightly from his back. "Anna!" He answered. But this distracted him and he found himself on the ground with a gouge on his stomach. "No!" Anna yelled as she watched him fall. The shifter laughed with a voice that sounded like a raven cawing.  
  
It looked at her, then back to Yoh, and decided to finish him off. But Anna wouldn't let that happen.  
  
So here you are back where we left off, now I'm not going to re-type that whole seen because (a) you already know what happens (b) I want to get this thing finished and (c) I'm just plain to lazy ^_^ 


	5. Hospitle Romance

When Anna woke her she didn't know where she was. She didn't recognize anything, partly because all she could see for a while was blurry dots. There was a white tiled roof over her head and she was lying on a soft, raised bed. She could feel a breeze against her bare skin, the only thing hiding it was hospital pants and a bandage that looped around her shoulder and covered her entire chest. She turned her head and looked at the bed next to hers.  
  
Suddenly all sleepiness that had once possessed her was gone, and she sat up to get a better look at the person. It was Yoh, he was still asleep apparently. She stood by his bedside and looked him over. He had wires attached to him each leading into different things, one to a blood sack, one to another liquid and one to a machine that was reading his pulse. His chest was bare and he had a bandage rapped around his back and stomach.  
  
'My poor Yoh...' Anna thought, as she traced his face gently with her fingers. "I'm so sorry...I should have trained your spiritual powers better. Then you wouldn't be in this mess right now."  
  
She took one of his hands and held it in her own, sitting on the edge of his bed she continued to stare at him. 'Yoh...I'm you're weakness...' Tears came to her eyes once again as she held his hand to her face, just like it had been last night or maybe the night before, who knows how long she'd been asleep.  
  
Then she felt his thumb caress her check. "Shh...." He whispered softly, his deep brown eyes looking up at her with happiness in them. "Yoh, please forgive me." Anna said, her voice, her eyes, everything about her seemed melancholy.  
  
"Forgive you? What have you done that I must forgive you for?" Yoh answered her. "I've become you're weakness when I must be you're strength." Anna cried.  
  
Yoh's smile faded and in its place was seriousness. He forced himself to sit up, painful as it was. He rapped his arms around her tightly and comforted her like someone would comfort a lost child. "Oh Anna you are my strength. How else do you think I would be sitting up right now?" "Yoh..." Anna coed his name as she held him in return making sure that she wasn't touching his wounds.  
  
She eased him back down onto the bed and released him. Only then did she remember her shoulder, a twinge of pain shot threw her. She did her best to keep if from showing on her face but Yoh was too smart not to see. "Anna your shoulder." Lightly he touched it and ran his hand along her arm, causing shivers to go up and down her spine.  
  
"It's nothing, don't worry." Yoh nodded his head and closed his eyes, just to rest them for a moment. Then a chuckle flouted from him. "I suppose I am as much you're weakness and strength as you are mine." Anna touched her shoulder and smiled slightly. Then she leaned down and whispered in his ear. "I love you." As she pulled always from his ear she stayed only inches from his face. "And I love you." Yoh said as he kissed her sweetly, once again he had her face in his hands.  
  
Ok sorry I know that was a short chappy but hey, a chappy is a chappy right? 


	6. Fluffy moments and fuzzy visions

:WARNING, WARNING: ALMOST PURE FLUFF AHEAD!!!!! ^_~ much wuv from me  
  
Yoh and Anna were sitting under that same tree a few months later. Their wounds had healed leaving only the scars of battle behind. Anna sat in Yoh's lap her head rested carelessly on his shoulder. Yoh's arms were rapped loosely around her small waist. By now it was late summer and the sun was just setting behind the mountains, a gentle breeze blew through the leaves of the tree and the couples' hair. Yoh sighed contently, closed his eyes and dosed off, his head upon Anna's. After a few minutes Yoh felt Anna stir and he bent his head down so that he could place a kiss on her neck. She moaned happily and slid her fingers into his. Without opening her eyes she said, "It's getting dark." Yoh kissed her neck again. "So?" "We should be getting inside soon, summer's almost over and it gets cold at night." Yoh smirked, rapped his arms tighter around her and pulled her closer, kissing her again, working his way one kiss at a time to her jaw. "Why now?" "It's almost time for bed." "Why?" He asked again, this time his lips made contact with her cheek. "Because you have a day of training tomorrow that you must be well rested for." He kissed her on the lips softly, pulled away and whispered "Why?" Anna turned in his arms so that she could face him. "One because I said so, two because if you don't train you won't be prepared, and three if you're not prepared Hao could sneak up on you one day, defeat you, take the claim as Shaman King, and the world as we know it would come to an end." Yoh just smiled at her and kissed her again. "Why do you worry so much Anna? I promised you that I would, one always protect you and train my hardest, two I would never let anyone sneak up on me, and three I would never let the world as we know it come to an end." Anna let a small smiled craw upon her lips and she rapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling her nose into his. "Well, in that case perhaps you should stay out here and I should go inside." Yoh frowned for a second, then snickered silently releasing what she meant. "Perhaps you should." Anna brushed her lips against his, teasing him. Yoh let out a fake whimper of disappointment. "Not fair." Anna chose to ignore him, smiled to herself and walked into they're dark house.  
  
Yoh smiled, counted to one hundred, then went inside himself. The kitchen was dark, so was the living room. Carefully he made his way up to his room, peaked in and saw that it was empty. Then he quietly tip-towed towards Anna's door, slowly opened the door and stuck his nose in. 'Funny.' He thought, he stepped inside the candlelight but also empty room. "Anna?" He scratched his head in confusion, looked around the room once more and thought of where she could be. But what he didn't see was that while he was busy thinking someone was sneaking up behind him. She moved as quietly as a ghost, her light cotton robe making no noise at all. She placed her hands in front of his eyes. "Boo." She whispered. "Ah!" Yoh jumped a few feet in the air, then turned around to look at Anna. Her eyes were lit up with laughter and she laughed at him. Yoh licked his lips, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto his bed-mat, Yoh tackled her, his knees supporting him, his hands pining down hers. "Not funny." He said, putting on a fake pouting look. She giggled, and kissed him on the nose. "Well let that be a lesson Mr. I would never let anyone sneak up on me." "Ok, ok so no one but you." They laughed together, Yoh never left his position upon her. When their laughter ceased Anna and Yoh opened their eyes at the same time. Yoh became mesmerized and trapped in Anna's eyes. The light from the candles that filled it with the smell of lavender, vanilla, and rosemary and light the room also light up her dark eyes. The same happened for Anna, all she could think about was Yoh, how he looked, how he felt, how he smelled. Without another word she rapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her once more. Forcing they're lips together, locking them in a hot, fiery kiss as if flamed with the fires of hell. One that could have made the corpses of Romeo and Juliet turn in their graves. Anna moved her hands from his neck to his hair and undid the tie that held it up and ran her fingers through it. Yoh's hands found their way from her arms to her face, where he proceed to cup her face with them.  
  
Finally they were forced to pull away, the lack of oxygen had been pulling for too long on they're lungs. Yoh leaned his forehead upon hers as he regained his breath, her face still in his hands. "I love you." He whispered once he caught his breath. "I-." Anna started when a jolt went through her. "Anna, what's wrong?" Yoh asked, concern spreading over his face as he sat up, getting off of her. She had seemed to have gone into a trance, her eyes were half open and half closed, her face was serious and concentrated. Then she shock her head and blinked a few times. "Yoh..." She whispered as she looked into his eyes. "What is it Anna?" "It's...Hao." She breathed, her shoulders starting to shake. "He's become stronger, somehow he got stronger."  
  
Yoh thought about what she had said for a moment, and watched as her shoulders shook silently. Then he wrapped his arms tightly around her, nudging his head into hers. "Don't worry, we've gotten through every other challenge Hao sent us and we can get through this one." Anna nodded snuggled into him, her hands clutching his back. They stayed like that for a few minutes, then Anna pulled away a little and looked into Yoh's eyes.  
  
She smiled a little said, "Well, so much for the moment huh?" Yoh smiled back and chuckled a little. "Well...I wouldn't say that." "No?" Yoh's smile widened and he kiss her once more. Anna returned his kiss, but it wasn't the same as it had been just a few seconds ago. "Maybe we should just go to sleep." She sighed when the kiss had been broken. Yoh nodded. "You look tired, kinda' like you did when you were doing that mental training thing-y." Anna smiled, kissed him on the check and started to get up when Yoh pulled on the bottom of her kimono. "Why don't you stay here? Just tonight, I know you won't want to be alone. Not after that vision of yours. Anna nodded and let Yoh pull her down beside him once more. "You start falling asleep ok? I still have to brush my teeth and change." "Ok." Anna answered as she watched him leave and she lay in the dim light. The image she never wanted to see again was running through her head over and over.  
  
When Yoh came back in the room Anna was almost asleep, her eyes closed and her chest rising slowly up and down. Yoh smiled down lovingly at his Itako the went around the room and blew out the candles quietly. Then he took his place beside her on the floor mat, pulled the covers over them, rapped his arms around her and drifted into sleep. Anna felt something warm lay down next to her, she snuggled closer to this source of heat. "Good-night Yoh." She whispered.  
  
OK I know I haven't updated in like forever but forgive me!!!!! I've been working on a dojijhi, or however u spell it, but anyway its also Yoh and Anna so I'm not completely abandoning this couple ^_^ Luv all my readers/reviewers lots 


	7. New powers discovered

Ok ok I know the last chappy like totally sucked cuz nobody reviewed it but this one will hopefully be better. I cut my hair a month ago and I'm afraid it might have been the source of all my powers  
  
It was a particularly chilly morning as the sun began to peak out from behind the mountains and the tall buildings of the town the A light snow was draped upon the city like a white blanket and the Asakura house was completely still. However I would be wrong if I said that it stayed still for much longer.  
  
Anna felt the first warm beams of sunlight dance on her eyelids and she woke from her pleasant dreams to an even more pleasant sight, her Yoh. She had always loved to watch him when he was asleep, he looked even more innocent and carefree then he did when he was awake, but this morning was especially wonderful. She lifted a finger and ran it along the lips that she kissed last night. 'Oh Yoh, I don't know what I'm going to do if what I saw was true. I can't loose you, I won't loose you. But with Hao's new powers that might be...no don't think about it.' Her frown quickly evaporated when she felt Yoh kiss her finger.  
  
He smiled too and opened his eyes, meeting hers. "Sleep well?" "Very." She answered, as she slipped out from under the covers. Only to retreat back into them a few seconds later.  
  
"Brrr! That's cold." She whispered as she snuggled back up against Yoh. He laughed.  
  
"Well maybe this can be the start of my training today. Learning how to deal with cold temperatures could be useful against shamans like Horo- Horo."  
  
Anna smiled at him. "Now that you mention it I have been thinking about creating an all new training program. I feel that you might need more then just the things that you know now."  
  
Yoh lifted the covers from his body and sat up. "I'll do what ever training you want me to Anna." He whispered as he kissed her forehead. "You stay there until I get a fire started, it is pretty cold."  
  
"No, I think I should train myself as well." And with that she got out of bed once more and took her chance with the cold.  
  
During breakfast neither spoke much, Yoh knew that Anna was thinking and when she's thinking you don't disturb her. He simply watched her as she ate the pancakes he had made.  
  
He knew she liked it because of the way she licked her lips to get the last bit of syrup off. Finally as the last bites were being finished and their glasses became drained of their orange juice Anna spoke.  
  
"You're new training will be more difficult then before, not all of it will be physical training either but also a few techniques that I learned from you're Grandfather and a few other things. I'll wash the dishes and you can get started on you're first task."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"The usual, only this time give it absolutely everything u have, I want you to come back here dragging yourself. It'll make the next thing easier."  
  
"You got it." Yoh smiled, and for a moment Anna smiled back but then her smile faded as she became focused on something else.  
  
A few hours later Yoh came back to the house, panting and sweaty. Anna met him at the door, her scarf rapped around her neck and she was wearing a sweater. "Ready for part two?"  
  
Yoh nodded and followed her as she turned around and walked towards the courtyard. His eyes opened wide when he saw what she had been doing all morning.  
  
There were many meditation instruments placed on some rocks that weren't there before.  
  
"Anna...what is all this?"  
  
"Remember when I was trying to train your Shaman powers? Well this is like the same thing, only it doesn't require my energy." Yoh looked at everything once again.  
  
"I'm going to be training with you, that way we may both be prepared." She walked over to the big flat rock where there were candles and incense laid out, ready to be lit.  
  
She opened her bag and pulled out two white robes. She handed one to Yoh and kept the other. "Change into this, but hurry, the warding spell will not last any longer then six hours at a time." Yoh nodded, and a blush crept onto his face as she turned around and started to undress.  
  
'I-I guess we're suppose to change out here.' He thought, quickly turning around and started taking off his shirt. As he rapped the cotton robe around his body a strong sent of lavender, mint, and orange leaf oil crept into his nostrils. He also sensed the presence of a great power. 'That's probably Anna's spell.' He thought as he tied the final knot on the belt and turned again to face Anna, only to find her looked at him.  
  
"Now what?" He asked, he kept his face serious. 'This is important to her so this is going to be important to me too.' He thought, very determined to for fill his silent promise.  
  
She sat down on the flat stone, right in front of one of the unlit incense sticks. "Sit." She commanded. Yoh did as he was told and sat beside her, also in front of one of the unlit sticks.  
  
"Do as I do." She stated.  
  
Yoh watched closely and focused on what her powers were doing. He could see a glowing energy aura rise from her body. Once it was all drained from her she squeezed it into a rope and he could feel heat coming from it.  
  
She brought it close to the unlit stick and it suddenly caught fire. She blew out the flame and a purple smoke rose into the chilly air, twisting this way and that as it disappeared when it got high enough.  
  
"When you compress your power all energy that is so close together creates a heat, and if you can harness it all then it can do great things. Terrible or for good."  
  
Her eyes had been closed while she was demonstrating now she opened them sharply and one of the targets that she had set up exploded.  
  
"Ah!" Yoh jumped in surprise. When the smoke cleared the target seemed undamaged but for a small burn make dead center.  
  
"That is but a taste of what you can do with such a technique." Anna turned to look at Yoh and the power she had been harnessing sank back into her body.  
  
"Hao has already mastered this power. With his fire based spirit it was easier for him. With his new ability he might be unstoppable, even for you."  
  
Yoh nodded solemnly.  
  
"We're going to try this without Amidamaru but then we must use him for he must also get used to this new power."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Now you try it."  
  
Yoh closed his eyes, reached inside himself and pulled out his shamanic power. He could see it inside his mind. It was red and glowing almost like Anna's but different. He tried to grasp it and chaff it but it kept slipping from his fingers like water.  
  
"I can't do it Anna." He whispered.  
  
"It's not surprising, not many shamans have gotten this right on the first try. Keep trying and if you fail I'll help you until you can do it on your own." Yoh nodded again and concentrated really hard on it, this time it felt more firm. He tried and tried but all he could do was make it harden and get skinnier and longer.  
  
'I have to do this! It needs to heat up and glow like Anna's! I can't let her down, I can't let the world down.'  
  
Then a pang when threw his body and he lost control of his powers, he could feel his real body fall over and things went dark.  
  
Wht has happened to Yoh? Find out in the next Chappy 


	8. Surprises

'Where am I?' Yoh wondered. His head was pounding, and his fingers were burning it was like he had fallen from a great distance and had no memory of falling. He forced his eyes to open and gaze upon where he really was.  
  
Anna was looking down at him, a worried look was on her face and his head evidently in her lap. She put a hand to his forehead. "Are you feeling better?"  
  
"Better? Better then what?" He asked jokingly, but Anna didn't see it as a joke he could see it in her eyes. "My head hurts, and my hands too. The rest of me feels stretched out, like syrup over too many pancakes." (ok ok I know I got the idea from Lord of the Rings so sue me!)  
  
She looked him over once more and then she sighed. "You were trying too hard Yoh. I should have known you would do this."  
  
He through her a warm smile. "I just don't want to let you down."  
  
"You just make sure you don't go over the limit again ok? I can help you until you can do it by yourself. That way we can keep your power in check."  
  
"Sounds good, let's get started."  
  
"No. You've done enough today. Besides I have some things to do in town."  
  
Yoh nodded.  
  
Half an hour later Anna was busily rapping a scarf around her neck and getting ready to go out the door.  
  
Yoh peaked in through the doorway and just watched her for a few seconds. It had been a long time scene he had just watched her, following her every move with his eyes...  
  
Anna felt a strong-arm place itself around her shoulders and a warm body lean into her own.  
  
"You sure you wanna go now? It's pretty cold out there." Yoh asked gently.  
  
"Yes, I only have one thing to do. It shouldn't take long." She turned around and kissed him lightly on the lips.  
  
"Don't worry about me. Cold is the least of my problems." And for the first time in what seemed like forever Anna smiled at Yoh. A smile is a wonderful thing to see, especially the smile of a small child who has no idea of the troubles of the world around them. Or of someone having a wonderful dream that they wish never to leave. Or even the sun shining it's warm light upon the dark, cold world hidden by shadow and doubt.  
  
That was what Anna's smiled looked like to Yoh, and he would give anything in the universe to see that smile.  
  
Anna turned around, waved and closed the door walking out into the cold streets. That morning's light snowfall had lasted only about an hour or more and soon melted, it was officially fall.  
  
The leaves of the trees that hadn't fall from fault of the cold were all at a loss of their natural green and were now possessed once again by the brown, red, orange, and yellow pigment that mother nature paints with when it comes time for the changing of the seasons.  
  
It was a beautiful afternoon, the sun had come out now but despite it's efforts the earth was not warmed by it's golden light.  
  
Anna's destination was the local jewelry shop which was about a ten minute walk from their house.  
  
When she walked in the doors she saw an elderly woman busily working behind the counter. She looked up and smiled warmly when she heard Anna come in.  
  
"Welcome, what may I do for you today stranger? Goodness did you walk here in this cold weather? You must be just frozen."  
  
'She certainly is cheerful.' Anna thought.  
  
"I was wondering what kind of lockets you have, and if you can make engravings."  
  
The lady smiled wider at her. "So you need a locket do you?" She chuckled. "Let me guess, it's for that someone special of yours isn't it?"  
  
Anna nodded out of politeness.  
  
"Well come with me and we'll see if I have any that interest you." Anna followed her to a back room where there were many golden trinkets on many long shelves.  
  
When Anna returned home it was almost dinnertime. She closed the door quietly behind her, shook off her shoes, removed her scarf and walked into the living room.  
  
The smell of dinner cooking filled her nose. 'Yoh's starting dinner'  
  
Anna smiled and walked noiselessly into the kitchen, rapped her arms around Yoh's waste and gave him a gentle hug.  
  
It was Yoh's turn to smile. He put down the frying pan he was fumbling with and turned to Anna, planting a light kiss on her lips.  
  
"I was beginning to get worried about you Anna."  
  
"Well it took a little longer then I thought it would."  
  
"What did you go up to town for anyway?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
Anna took the bag that was draped from her shoulder and began going trough it. She found what she was looking for and removed it. It was a square box, one that usually contains jewelry.  
  
Yoh looked questionably at the small box, wonder what she could be up too.  
  
Anna opened the box, reviling its contents. Inside were two gold lockets, Anna took the one on the right and placed it around Yoh's neck.  
  
He fingered it for a second, feeling the design and the carvings in the metal. Then he opened it, what he found was two pictures one of him and one of Anna. There was writing on the outside of them.  
  
"You'll be in my heart forever." He read out loud.  
  
Anna put here's on and look up at Yoh, waiting for his opinion on the two trinkets.  
  
"What's this for Anna?" Yoh asked.  
  
"It's a locket, Yoh promise me that you will always wear it." Anna looked at him with such a pleading look that Yoh couldn't not help but smile as he agreed. Not that he would have objected had she not used this face.  
  
He kissed her forehead. "Of course I will Anna."  
  
"Thank you Yoh." Anna whispered, holding him tightly.  
  
Yoh answered by embracing her in return.  
  
'Poor Anna, she's so worried about this whole Hao, new powers, end of the world thing.' "Sigh..." Yoh tightened his grip on her, pulling her even closer. 'Anna I promise I will not let my brother hurt you ever again, after this is all over Hao will pay for the grief he has caused you...'  
  
Elsewhere  
  
"Heh, so you will make me pay will you dear brother? We shall see about that....indeed we shall see." Fire blazed up upon the dry logs of Hao's fire pit. 


	9. Soul Control

All had been quiet for the past few days, nothing in particular had happened and it looked like things might go back to normal. Well as normal as a Shaman's life could get.   
  
"I think you're finally getting that trick Yoh!" Morty said enthusiastically.  
  
"I agree you've gotten much better. Just as you were quick to learn with integration and Oversoul this new attack has been a difficult challenge but you have overcome in none the less." Amidamaru said.  
  
Yoh smiled at his two friends. "You mean just as we were quick Amidamaru. I couldn't have done it without you because well without you it would just be me doing some silly looking moves."  
  
The trio laughed at Yoh's joke.   
  
Anna came out of the house with three hot-chocolates.   
  
"Thanks Anna, it's hard training out here I the cold cuz you're mind keeps wondering if your feet are still alive."  
  
Anna smiled a little. "That's the point Yoh. To give you another challenge in your training. Because to be able to poses something or create something with your own soul takes a lot of consternation and chances are that when you will have to use it in battle the circumstances won't be the most convenient."  
  
Morty nodded. "Yeah, I've been reading everything I can about this and I still haven't found a name for it but there's one thing for sure and that's that Hao has probably already mastered it."  
  
"Come on, practice is over for now until I can make more targets. Let's go inside, it's freezing out here." Anna said as she turned around and walked towards the warm house.   
  
"Anna's right, I can't feel my butt, sitting on that rock for so long."   
  
"I can't feel my toes from standing in this snow."  
  
"I can't feel my toes either."  
  
"Amidamaru you don't have toes." Anna told him. Chuckling silently to herself as everyone else laughed.  
  
a few hours later  
  
Morty had gone home and Amidamaru was asleep in his little spirit holder.   
  
Yoh was just re-building the fire in the fireplace when Anna walked into the room, she had a blanket rapped around her and a pillow in her hand.   
  
"I see you're putting in some extra practice time." She smiled down on her fiancée.  
  
Yoh leaned his head back and smiled. "Just wanna be prepared."   
  
Anna sat down behind him and rapped the blanket around him as well, hugging him from behind. She fingered around his chest until she felt a cold mettle object.   
  
The smile on her lips widened. "You're wearing your locket."   
  
Yoh grabbed her hand and moving both he opened it to reveal their pictures. "'Course I am."   
  
He leaned back so that the two of them were laying on the pillow that Anna had brought for them.   
  
Neither said anything for a few minutes, and they stayed still watching the fire flicker in it's place until Yoh switched their positions so that Anna was on him.   
  
She sighed contently and rested her head on his chest, snuggling closer to him for warmth.   
  
Yoh put his arms around her and held her.  
  
Just as they were begging to drift to sleep Yoh whispered, "I love you..." And fell asleep.  
  
Little did they know that outside their quite peaceful home lurked the person that would test their love to the brink of shattering and stretch reality until it was nothing more then an illusion.   
  
Using is new power, something he called SoulControl he snuck into the house, searching for something or someone really.   
  
"There you are." He whispered.  
  
A small part of his Soulcontrol crept into Anna's body through her mouth and hide. He retracted the rest until it was time to make his move.   
  
"Soon dear Brother, soon the title of Shaman King will be mine."   
  
I wanted to run this story as long as I could but now I realize that I must end it in the next 2 chapters at the most. School is about to start and I won't have much time to write then 


	10. Illusions

When Anna woke Yoh wasn't there, she looked up from the warm shelter of the blankets and saw that it was probably ten in the morning.

Groggily she sat up and went to the kitchen for something to eat. On the fridge was a note:

Dear Anna,

Good morning, I'm out doing my regular training. I should be back before lunch.

Love, Yoh

Anna smiled, as she put the note down and began to rummage through the fridge for something to eat.

She was just lifting the milk out when she felt a cold presence. She hastily put the milk back, ran upstairs to grab her beads and a jacket and went outside.

She skimmed the backyard for anything unusual.

"Come out Hao...I know you're here..."

Then before she could react she felt two un-humanly strong arms wrap around her body.

"Ah!" She screamed in surprise and struggled.

"Get away from me you jerk!" Anna yelled as she tried to get herself out of his grasp.

"Now, now don't be stubborn. I need you for my plan to work."

Then his eyes began to glow and Anna felt a pain inside her.

She screamed again, this time not from surprise but from pain.

"Scream all you want, no one can hear you." And in truth no one could hear her, Hao had muted her voice so that only he and she could her words.

Finally she became limp, still conscious but limp.

"What are you going to with me?!" She asked angrily.

Hao smiled you will see...

Yoh was almost done, he only had one more mile to go.

He was happily humming to one of his favorite bands when Ameidamaru popped up at his side.

"Yoh you must hurry, Anna is in danger! Hao is here!"

Yoh stopped in his tracks, frozen for a second with fear. Then he turned around and ran back home, faster then he could have thought possible.

He was so engulfed with the task of reaching her that he didn't even notice that Amidamaru had suddenly disappeared or that he didn't really sound like himself.

Finally, Yoh reached his house. Sure enough Hao's fuioku was everywhere. He ran into the house, grabbed the Sprit Sword and ran outside where the furioku was strongest.

"Good, he is here."

With fear in his heart he ran outside and skimmed the grounds until his eyes fell on them.

But what he saw made him suddenly weaken.

Instead of the scene he was expecting, Anna on the ground in need of rescuing, Hao above her ready to strike he saw then together, in an embrace.

Hao didn't need to look up, he could feel his brother's presence and he smiled.

"Let go of me! Yoh!!" Anna cried out, but her pleased fell on deaf ears. She tried to will her body to move but it wouldn't obey her.

Hao's plan was working perfectly so far, he could feel the strength leaving Yoh as he looked on with unpredictable eyes. All he needed to do was completely break his brother and that's what he did.

He kissed Anna, who screamed in protest, invisible tears trickling down her checks as she felt her body move to deepen that cursed kiss.

Yoh fell to his knees, tears brimming in his eyes.

Amidamaru came back, now out of Hao's spell he watched his master and friend in a moment of grief

"Yoh?" Amidamaru asked, looking at him nervously, and watched where his eyes stayed rooted.

'He must be upset about the fact that the girl he loves and his worst enemy are...' "Yoh do not worry, for all we know Anna could be under some kind of spell or somethi-"

"No. The Anna I know would never allow some one to take control of her, let along hold her like that." The last part he said bitterly.

'No Yoh! Listen to Amidamaru!' Hao looked over at them. Releasing his grip on Anna, who sank to the ground, and walked over to Yoh.

"So brother what does it fell like to have the person you love betray you? I hope in hurts." He grinned evilly.

Yoh just starred blankly in the other direction. Anna was sitting down, her body still numb. She watched nervously as Hao came closer to Yoh.

If that jerk does anything to Yoh I'll...I'll.'

"Get up brother. You looked pathetic down there."

Yoh didn't move.

"Are you denying me?" He slapped him across the face. Yoh didn't seem to care.

"I told you to get up. Rise and fight me like a man. Face your death proudly brother."

Yoh just kept looked the other way in a blank stare. Hao slapped him again. Slap! Slap! Slap! It when on. With each hit his head was forced from one side to the other. Anna watched him, her head slowly moving with his, tears swelling in her eyes as she watched him take the blows one by one. Each must have been painful and he didn't even make any sound, nothing. And it was all because of her.

"Yoh..." She whispered. "Yoh." A little louder.

She could fell Hao's furioku slipping off of her, she decided then and there that she had to free herself, no matter what it took. She was the itako after all, there was nothing she couldn't do if she put her mind and her power to it. She closed her eyes, focused her power from one last blow on his slowly waning furioku. Then...

"Yoh!!!!" She screamed, long and loud, forcing his furioku out and banished it to hell.

Yoh snapped back to life, his eyes met hers. Both pairs were pain stricken and sad.

Hao growled. Then he punched Yoh hard in the stomach, knocking him a few feet farther from there into a pillar. Jumped up onto the nearest tree and drew his sword. "Yoh!" Anna yelled again. Tears trailing from her eyes as she ran in front of him. Hugging him to her, trying to protect him from Hao.

"Anna!" Yoh grabbed her and thrusted them both a few feet from there, realizing what Hao's next move would be. Yoh covered Anna's head with his arms, holding her tightly.

The dust cleared, Yoh's arm was bleeding a little. Yoh sat back up, taking her with him.

Anna smelled the fresh send of blood and look at Yoh's arm "Yoh your wounded."

"It's not that bad." He said, the life back in his eyes and in his voice. Then he noticed that Hao had disappeared. "Where did Hao go?" He wondered out loud and he looked around them.

Then a scream escaped Anna's lips as she was lifted out of Yoh's arms and into the air. "Hao!!" Yoh yelled, jumping to his feet.

Hao held Anna up by one arm, the blade of his sword just below her neck. "Uh..." Anna moaned. Hao's grip on her wrist was almost unbearable.

"Let her go Hao! It's me you want so leave her out of this!"

"That is exactly why she must be part of this dear brother. I wanted to destroy your physical body, but if I could break your heart and ruin your life all in one that would be even better." Hao grinned evilly once more.

"Wait Hao! I'll fight you! Just leave Anna out of this!" Yoh pleaded, his eyebrows furrowed together in concern.

Hao smiled. 'Things are going exactly as I planned.' "However, I'd like to ad a little twist to this. If I win, the girl dies."

Yoh's eyes widened. There was just too much on the line now. "No! Hao wait!" "Hmm?" Yoh looked down, his eyes covered by his bangs. "Don't hurt Anna. If you win I promise that I'll let you kill me. But if I win she goes free."

Anna gasped. "No Yoh! Don't you dare!" She struggled in Hao's grasp.

"Well, now that sounds more like it. I except."

He released Anna, letting her drop. She ran to Yoh and threw her arms around Yoh's shoulders. "What are you doing Yoh?"

He looked up at her, there was still tears left in her eyes. "Anna, I didn't know you could cry." He tried to say it happily, to remind her of good times, but the best he could do was smile warmly.

'How can he still smile at a time like this? "Yoh you're such an idiot." She whispered sadly, she leaned her head on his chest. He held her, one hand on her back and one behind her head.

"Shh. Don't cry. Don't cry, I'll protect you I promise." He said softly.

"I don't care if you protect me, who's going to protect you?" She whispered in his ear.

"Anna, don't worry." He tried to convince her.

"Yoh you can't do this. I won't let you." She clung tighter to his shirt.

Yoh sighed. Then after only a moment of silence he said sternly. "Anna I don't want to you watch this fight. You need to go somewhere where you'll be safe." He pulled away slightly, he grabbed her hands and held them tightly.

"But-" She started. "Please." His voice was desperate, yet he smiled at her. Just so that if this was the last time she saw him she would have a good image of him.

She slowly nodded, unsure that this truly was the right decision and walked away, keeping her eyes on him the whole time.

Yoh turned back to Hao, who had been waiting patiently through that. Yoh drew his sword, and stood in his battle stance. Just as he was about to reach for Amidamaru to activate his furioku Hao stopped him.

"No brother, this will be a fight based purely on the strength and skill of the man alone. With no help from our gradient ghosts we will see who is better and deserves the title of Shaman King.


End file.
